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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. land — to come down
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. chip — to eat
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. rest — what's left
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. land — a country
  12. lie — to recline
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. present — a gift
  16. rest — a break
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. present — there
  20. chip — for betting
  21. rest — what's left
  22. present — the time now
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. land — ground

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com